Cribbing



0. s. FLATH Se t; 19, 1944.

CRIBBING Filed Sept. 28, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 p 1944- 0; s. FLATH 22,358,698

CRIBBING Filed Sept. 28', 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 19, 1944. o. s. FLATH l cRIisBI'ne Patented Sept. 19, 1944 UNITED STATES PATE I 1QFFICE i CRIBBING Otto S. Flath, Chicago, Ill. 'ApplicationSe ptember 28, 1942, SerialLNo.l46'0,023

'2 Glaims.

My invention relates to crib'bing composed of metal or steel members for constructing walls'for supporting embankments or fills, being especially adaptedlfor use-in the construction-ofwalls for trenchesand the like where time is of the essence and convenience or ease'in-handling is essential.

The invention :has f or :its object the g provision of easily fabricated :members :of comparatively simple construction, which :may :be :readily assembled into the-desired wall and the assembled members secured together without need for special skill to provide is; sturdy retaining" wall.

Another object .of the :invention is the provision of an economical -"-wa'-ll "composed of a liew standard elements involving a unit (or member of sheet steel-which :be p1fessed iintol shapewhich may -be employed either as'aa header :or' as a stretcher :and the ends of the' head'erimembers and of "the stretcher members "formed to provide interengagingrelation and to be rigidly secured together; "with thennembers pre' Eerablybeing-provided with rigidifyrn g surfaces '50 arranged or formed that the respective :members may be ;assembled into contiguous relation so as to prov'lde an uninterrupted outer =i-a'ce whereby "the fill .is prevented from filtering therethrough.

Another object or the invention consists in forming a member'orun'itadapted for-use either as a' header-onas*astretcher andhencerequir'ing a single former or-di'e to be'employed in "fabricating the respective *units, which'-tl 1erefore materiall-y reduces the cbstdfrnanufaciture 'Thelaboveenumeratedobjects and=advantages as 'well as other"advantagesinherentin the invention will *alll' be readily comprehended from the following-detailed description of the accom panying drawings "wherein:

Figure ,1 is a perspectiveyiew of one of the units of "my improved cribbing with an intermediate portion broken away.

Figure 2 is aip'erspe'c'tiveview .dfa .sectionlof cribbing "illustrating Ithe contiguous ends of a number of units assembled ito constitu'teheaders andstretchers,twithportions' broken away.

Figure 3.1'is aplan view. of a portion ofcribbing assembly. 7

"Figure-f4 is asideelevation of cribbing assembly with an intermediate portion broken away.

Figure 5 isva View siniilarItolFigure? showing aimodi'fie'dhform offassenibly.

vFigure 6 is a. :-perspective v-iew of a-ipor-tionof cribbing as viewed from the interior andshowing a=modified form.

Figure 7 .is a similar viewhshowing .another modification.

Figures is plan view of the-headerunit shown in Figure '7, with-an intermediate (portion broken away. 7 t r g In the exemplifioation 'of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 1 1, the cribbing involves a plurality of uniform units or members arranged at their ends in voverlapping "engagement, with the overlapping-endslsecured together by suitable fastening means. That .is to-say, thaheaders 5 and the stretchers 1-6 of the =cribbing-shown in Figures 2 and 3 are-of similar construction and consist of a single steel sheetwllof predeter- 7' mined-width and length, as shown in Figure 1, whose ends I 8, I 8. aresbent (at-right angles to the body portion and preferably toward "the ;same side of the sheet and-the body ,TDOItiOIlS -l-|,-preferably provided with longitudinally extending corrugations or formed with laterally bowed andlongitudinally extending rigidifying surfaces as at I9 whichterminate-a short distance from the angularly disposed sends l-8, 4-8.; while the marginal portions alcove and below the bowed portions J 9 varenfiat and iare disposed in thesame plane with each-other. 1

I prefer toprovide the abowed portion, at predetermined distances apart, with bolt receiving holes xasat 2 0 which preferablyare arranged at Y the longitudinal :median line of-the-member H,

in order'that a pair of the members may be arranged in :flushzparallelrelationeand bolted toe gether at 2[to-providearigiddwo-piece unit or header l5 with-therigidifying portions! of the united members disposed laterallyoutwardon both sides of the cribbing, see Figure 3, and adapted to withstandthe lateralrstrains and-pressures of the fill. -The-member:l-1, adjacent the ends and vpreferably beyondthe ends-of the bowed portion 19, is also provided with bo1t-ho'les22 arranged oneabove the other; while the bent ends l8 also are provided with bolt-holes 23, as

staggered or offset relation with the respective courses of headers so that each stretcher IE will be in overlapping relation with a pair of super-' tween the two parallelly arranged members of the header unit l5, while the other side of each bar 26 is arranged to the-cribbing exterior in overlapping relation with the bent ends of the headers l5, The angle bars are provided with bolt-holes adapted to register with the bolt-holes 23 in the flanges of the stretchers I6 and with the bolt-holes 22 in the header members so that a single bolt 24 may be employed for securing the header unit [5, the stretchers [6, on opposite sides of the header unit, and the two angle bars 26 together. In order to further tie the respec- Qtive courses together I also prefer to provide the the upper hole 22 of the lower header-the bolts 24 being disposed through the adjacent ends I8 of the two stretchers l6 and through the two pieced header unit l5. The endsv l8 of the headers l5 are secured to the stretcher members l6 located on opposite sides of the header unit l5 by bolts which pass through the holes 23 in the ends l8 of the header units and through the registering holes 22 of the stretchers. With this arrangement, the headers and stretchers arearranged in interengaging and joint reenforcing relation, with a single boltsecuring two stretchers to a header unit, and the bolts relieved of the strains that would result from the outward thrust oftheback-fill; s H As the right-angularly bent ends I8 of the header overlap the outersides of the stretchers whose ends l8 are bolted to the header unit by bolts 24, the stretchers are held against the outward pressureof the'ffill and bolts 25 may, if desired, be'omitted.

It will be understood that the stretchers of one 3 course are arranged in edge-to-edge contact with I the stretchersof the adjacent courses thereby headers and stretchers are-secured to each other and the possibility of one course shifting on the other'is made impossible; and outward movement of the cribbing'is also made impossible by the fill located in .the rectangular pockets or chambers between the parallelly arranged and rearwardly disposedcourses of'headers l5 united at both ends'by the inner and the outer courses of stretchers l6, as shown inFigure 3.

The cribbing 'as is the usualpractice, is preferably provided with a suitable foundation, as for example'shown at-Fin Figure 4, and the cribbing may be of any'suitable or desired heighth in keeping withthe particular conditions encountered and the length of the headers adjacent the'top of-the cribbing may be reduced if desiredthe shorter headers, however, being of thesame construction as shown in the drawings.

In Figure 5 I show a portion of cribbing composed of the headers and stretchers similar to the member shown in Figure 1 wtih the headers and stretchers arranged andbolted together in; the manner shownin-Figure 2'. 1

The structure shown in'Figure 5 differs from that of Figure 2'by providing a pair of angle bars26'which extend from'top to bottom of the cribbing and, in conjunction with the attached ends of the headers and stretchrs','f orm a vertically disposed beam whereby the cribbing is greatly "reenforced." The: angle bars 26 are arranged with one sideof eachbar- 26 disposedbe "exposed sides of the angle bars 26 with bolt-holes 21 arranged to register with the bolt-holes 22 in the stretchers I6 and adapted to receive the bolt 28.

As'stated, the angle bars 26 extend from top tobottom and the lower ends of the bars may extend a distance beneath the bottom courses of headers and stretchers to permit the extended ends to be embedded in the ground or cribbing foundation. r

In Figure 6 I show a modified form of cribbing especially in so far'as the stretchers are concerned. The headers l5 are of the preshaped construction shown in Figure 1 and the headers composed of single members as shown; or each unit may consist of two members arranged in face-to-face relation to provide the header section or unit disclosed in Figure 2, with the flanges or ends N3 of the two members extending in opposite directions and in overlapping relation with the outer faces of. the stretchers'disposed on opposite sides of the header unit 15. By reason of the type of stretcher employed, the header members of Figure fineed. not be provided with the bolt-holes 22 shown inFigure 1; the flanges or ends I8, however, preferably being provided with the pair of bolt-holes 23 as in Figure 1. The stretchers 30,,which may be of the same length as the headers or of any desired length, are of channel form with the longitudinal sides or flanges 31 disposed inwardly sothat the base portions of the channel stretchers may extend in flush relation or contact with the flanges or ends l8 of the headers as shown; and the base portion of the channel members adjacent their ends are provided with a pair of bolt receiving holes adapted to register with the holes 23 in the flanges or ends of the headers to receive the bolts 32. The stretchers 30 are also shown in staggered relation with the headers; that i to say, one course of stretchers is arranged in lapping relation with two adjacent courses of headers (as in Figure- 2) so that each stretcher ateach end is secured to two superposed headers thereby firmly securing the respective course together. The stretchers 30, at spaced intervals apart in their sides or flanges 3|, are provided with bolt-holes 33 to receive bolts 34 whereby the adjacent courses of stretchers are secured together.

Figure 7 disclose another modification of cribbing wherein the headers 35 consist of preformed steel sheets preferably, provided intermediate their ends with the dished portion or longitudinally extending reenforcing corrugations I9, similar to that shown in Figure 1; while the ends of the headers, instead of being flanged or bent laterally as in Figure 1, are provided with a number of transversely or vertically disposed corrugations 36, and the portions adjacent these corrugations provided with the pair of bolt-holes 22 shown in Figure 1.

The stretchers 31 consist of elongated sheets of steel preferably provided with a plurality of longitudinally disposed corrugations 38 which terminat'e a distance away from the ends as shown in Figure '7 to provide the plane portions which are bent laterally or at right angles as shown at 39. These bent ends or flanges are provided with transversely or vertically disposed corrugations 40 formed to match the corrugations 3B of the headers and are arranged in mating relation therewith. The corrugated ends or flanges 39 are also provided with a pair of vertically spaced boltholes 4| to receive bolts 42 which extend through the registering holes 4| of the flanges 39 of the stretchers on opposite sides of the headers 35 and through the bolt-holes 22 in the headers, which firmly hold the corrugations of the headers and stretchers in interlocking relation. The stretchers 3'! preferably are also arranged in overlapping relation with two superposed headers, thereby securing the respective courses together; the interlocking corrugations relieving the bolts of pulling strains. In the modified form of cribbing shown in Figure 7, each header unit may consist of a single sheet or member whose general configuration is clearly shownin Figure 8.

It will be understood that the headers and stretchers are, respectively, constructed in the same manner at both ends, with the inner ends of the headers and stretchers arranged in the same manner a at the forward or outer ends.

The exemplifications shown and described are believed to be the best embodiments of my invention, but certain modifications are possible without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cribbing composed of similarly formed elongated rectangular metal sheets with their ends uniformly bent at right angles toward the same sides of the sheets, the sheets adjacent the ends and said angularly disposed ends being provided with uniformly spaced bolt-holes, the sheets being provided with straight longitudinal marginal portions and arranged in superposed relation with the longitudinal edges of the sheets of one course resting on the longitudinal edges of the sheets in the subjacent course, certain courses of superposed sheets constituting headers while other courses are arranged at right angles to the first mentioned courses and at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of th first mentioned courses to constitute stretchers, with the stretcher sheets arranged in staggered relation with the sheets of the headers, the ends of the stretcher sheets being arranged against the rear faces of the angular ends of the header sheets whil the angularly bent ends of the stretcher sheet are disposed inwardly in overlapping relation with the header sheets; and bolts disposed through the angular ends of the header sheets and the stretcher sheets and through the angularly'bent ends of the stretcher sheets and the header sheets.

2. A cribbing composed of a plurality of uniform elongated metal sheets whose ends are bent laterally toward the same sides of the sheets, the sheets adjacent the bent ends and the bent ends being provided with uniformly spaced fastening means receiving openings, certain of said sheets being arranged edgewisely on each other to constitute courses of headers said courses consisting of a pair of sheets arranged in back-to-back relation with the bent ends of the two sheets disposed outwardly in opposite directions, while other sheets are arranged edgewisely on each other to constitute courses of stretchers disposed atright angles to the header courses and on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the header courses, the bent ends of the stretchers being disposed in wardly in overlapping relation with the header sheets while the bent ends of the headers are arranged on the outer faces of the stretcher sheets; a pair of vertically disposed angel bars arranged in side-to-side relation between the ends of the pair of header sheets with the other side of each bar arranged in overlapping relation with the bent ends of the respective header sheets, one side of said angle bars having openings registering with the holes in the bent ends of the stretcher sheets and the body of the header sheets while the other side of the angle bars has openings regist'ering with the openings in the bent ends of the header sheets and in the stretcher sheets; and means disposed through the registering openings of the respective units and angle bars for securing all of said elements together.

CYIlTO S. FLATI-I. 

